The DW Stadium was opened in 1999 after the Club moved from its former home of Springfield Park, where it had been in residence since the Club's formation in 1932. The DW is a functional stadium but overall it has somewhat of a bland look. In fact I would say that it looks more interesting from the outside from a distance than it does within. The four separate stands are of roughly the same height and are all single tiered. They are also quite steep meaning that fans are sat quite close to the playing action, although this is mitigated a little by the fact that the stands themselves are set back a fair distance from the pitch perimeter.

Both the side stands have large supporting steel frameworks visible above their roofs, whilst oddly both ends are different, having the steel framework located below the roof line. Unusually for a modern stadium, it does seem to be lacking in the number of corporate areas and executive boxes. There is an electric scoreboard above the Boston (East) Stand, on one side of the ground.

The stadium was originally named the JJB Stadium under a sponsorship deal was lasted for 10 years. This was replaced by a new deal in August 2009, which saw the stadium being renamed the DW Stadium in partnership with DW Sports Fitness. The stadium is also shared with Wigan Warriors Rugby League club.

Of interest outside the ground is Robins Park, where Wigan play their reserve games and athletics meetings are held. There is quite a sizeable stand on one side of the Park, which was better than a lot that I have seen at other grounds around the country.

Away fans are located in the North Stand at one end of the stadium, where up to 4,800 visiting supporters can be accommodated. Although this stand has a capacity of 5,500 seats, the allocation is restricted to 4,800 to prevent over crowding on the concourse. The stadium is functional and the facilities adequate, but it just seems to lack something, to give it that memorable feeling. The view of the playing action and leg room are generally adequate. To the left of the away section is where the singing Wigan fans tend to congregate, who are aided by a drummer. The public address within the stadium is particularly loud, none so when 'I'm a Believer' by the Monkees is blasted out just as the teams get ready to kick off.

The concourses are spacious and the facilities are good. There are screens showing the early kick off game and a betting outlet. Food on offer includes a range of Hollands Pies, including Chunky Steak, Meat & Potato and a Cheese Pie (all £2.40). There were also Herta Hot Dogs (£2.70). The stewards were generally helpful and relaxed.

Scott Carpenter a visiting Newcastle fan adds; 'the concourses seemed too small for the large amount of away fans attending on my visit, which led to it being rather uncomfortably crowded at half time'. Pat Bird a visiting West Bromwich Albion fan informs me; I was very impressed with the price to get in (£20), for a seat right behind the goal. The end given over to visitors was steeply banked with generous leg room. So far so good, however, I would have to agree with the comments of the Newcastle fan. It was an almighty struggle to get through to the loos at half-time. The concourse and toilet areas did not seem adequate to cope with a large away following. We parked in the car park behind the visitors end, which was fine, however, it took an age to get away after the match. For anyone visiting the DW you could do worse than have a meal after the match in one of the nearby restaurants before heading for home. Within 100 metres of the ground there is a Franky & Bennys, an Indian restaurant and a number of other establishments'. Directly behind the away end there a Fish & Chip restaurant (which also has a takeaway) called Sharpy's.

Simon Wright a visiting West Bromwich Albion fan informs me; 'Beside the away turnstiles is an entrance to the large indoor Marquee Bar, specifically for the use of away fans. It has the usual bar, big screen television and sells pies, as well as teas and coffees. It's a great comfortable facility and welcomes families.' I was particularly impressed with this facility and with a stage on one side and low lighting, I was almost waiting for the dancers to emerge! However on my last visit the queues to get served were quite long eventhough there wasn't a particularly large away following in attendance. Otherwise the traditional pub for away fans visiting the DW stadium is the Red Robin, which is only a few minutes walk away from the ground opposite the Cinema Complex.

The centre of town is about a 20 minute walk away where you will find a Wetherspoons outlet called the 'Moon Under Water' which was popular with away supporters on my last visit. Also worth a visit is the award winning 'Anvil' pub, which is located next to the bus station. Both these pubs are listed in the CAMRA Good Beer Guide. Also worth a mention is the Berkeley on Wallgate (near the railway station). This fair sized pub, had a good mix of home and away supporters on my last visit, serves five ever changing real ales and shows Sky Sports on a huge screen. Otherwise alcohol is available inside the stadium. Andrew MacGregor adds; 'The Swan and Railway pub opposite North Western railway station was very welcoming. They encouraged us to put our Reading flag up in the window and were very pleasant to us all'.

On the concourse alcohol is available in the form of draught Worthingtons and Carling (both £3.20 a pint). There are two counters serving beer and to try and bring some the order, at the largest one there is a queuing system in force which is overseen by the stewards. Plus there is a limit of buying two pints per person, so can you can get served relatively quickly compared to some other grounds. My only slight gripe is that no food is served from these outlets, meaning that you have to queue up again at a different counter for that. On occassions where the away end is sold (or almost sold out) then the Marquee Bar is opened at half time too.

Leave the M6 to Junction 25 then take the A49 to Wigan. After around two and a half miles you should pass a junction on your left with the A577 and then approach a large roundabout, that has a McDonalds on the right hand side. Continue straight on but keep in the left lane and then at the lights (with the SCS Sofa and Bed store in front) take the left hand filter lane by the large Asda superstore towards Robin Park. Currently there is a new housing development on the left which has some handy street parking. Otherwise continue straight on passing the Red Robin pub on your right. At the next roundabout go straight across and at the next traffic lights turn right into stadium way for the ground and car parks.

From The North:

Leave the M6 at Junction 26 and follow the signs for Wigan town centre along the A577. After around two miles you will pass an Aldi store on your left before reaching a large a roundabout (which is the junction with the A49). Keep in the left lane and then at the lights (with the SCS Sofa and Bed store in front) take the left hand filter lane by the large Asda superstore towards Robin Park. Then as From South above.

Paul Heywood adds; 'I would recommend that away supporters, travelling from the South, should come off at Junction 26 (see From The North) as there are often queues from Junction 25 towards the stadium.

Car Parking:

There is a large car park at the stadium, specifically for the use of away supporters, which costs £5 per car or motorbike, £10 for mini buses and £20 for coaches. As you may expect though, there is sometimes quite a delay in getting out of this car park after the game, especially if there has been a larger than normal crowd in attendance. Make sure though that you avoid parking on the nearby Retail Park, as parking there is restricted to two hours and I have been informed of a number of fans who have ended up getting parking tickets (£50) because of this.

Wigan's central railway stations (Wigan North Western & Wallgate stations) are a good 20 minute walk from the ground. So either take a taxi, or break up the journey with a few pub stops on the way!

On exiting Wigan North Railway Station turn left and go down the road heading under a railway bridge. On leaving Wallgate station turn right and go down the road passing Wigan North station on your left and then proceed under the railway bridge. It is a fairly straight walk along Robin Park Road passing the Jacobs Well Pub (at Wigan Pier) on your left, which is okay for away supporters. When you reach the Seven Stars hotel, you should be able to see the stadium over on your right. Either at the Seven Stars Hotel turn right and follow the locals on a shortcut along a canal to the stadium, or take the next road on the right.

Adam Hodson adds; 'I caught the train to Wigan Wallgate, crossed the road in between the two stations and I jumped on the 621 First Manchester Bus which dropped me off outside the Red Robin Pub. I then had a short 3-4 Minute walk from the Bus stop to the stadium. Bus No 600, a more Frequent service, runs up to Robin Park Roundabout from the two stations, It's about a 5-10 Minute walk from the roundabout to the Stadium.

Remember if travelling by train then you can save on the cost of fares by booking in advance.

Visit the the trainline website to see how much you can normally save.

All areas of the stadium:
Adults £20 (£15)
Over 65's £15 (£10)
Under 16's £10 (£5)
Juniors can obtain a further discount on the concession price in the home areas, providing that they first become Club members.

If you require hotel accommodation in the area then first try a hotel booking service provided by Late Rooms. They offer all types of accommodation to suit all tastes and pockets from; Budget Hotels, Traditional Bed & Breakfast establishments to Five Star Hotels and Serviced Apartments. Plus their booking system is straightforward and easy to use. Yes this site will earn a small commission if you book through them, but it will go to help with the running costs of keeping the Guide going. The Hotels listing also includes details of how far away the accommodation is located from the DW Stadium.

I had never been to the DW Stadium before, so it would be a new ground to visit and another on my tally of watching Leeds around the country.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

It was a three hour car journey from my home in East Lincolnshire. I found a quiet street to park in near to the DW Stadium (near the Fire Station) about a ten minute walk away. I had no problems in finding the ground.

What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?

We went into the Red Robin, a Fayre & Square pub that is just a couple of minutes from the stadium. Beers cost about £3 a pint. There were a few home fans in there who seemed friendly enough, along with a fair few from Leeds. There was no trouble at all before, during or after the game. Dave Whelan though in his pre-match retirement speech did seem to wind up most of the 4,700 Leeds fans in attendance.

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?

It is a pretty good looking ground. All four sides of the stadium have a very similar look to them. The away end is identical to the home end, but the home end was virtually empty (only 11,500 home fans in the whole ground). The away end was sold out after a week, but there were still about 700 seats kept empty in our end for 'safety reasons' - which is quite baffling really.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..

The first half was fairly even and the half time score remained goalless. Leeds scored 6 minutes into the second half and from then on it was just about one way traffic towards the Leeds goal for the rest of the game. How Wigan didn't get an equalizer was beyond me; they certainly deserved one, but it ended 0-1 and we went home with three points! In spite of the poor attendance by the home support there was a couple of thousand Wigan fans accompanied by a drummer-boy ("We're Leeds United, we don't need a drum") who made a decent amount of noise throughout the match. The Leeds fans made their usual amount of racquet throughout the whole game. As for the stewards, well, even though I was right on the front row you barely knew they were there at any time during the match. So a job well done to the DW Stadium Stewards. I didn't buy any food items; the queues were quite long at half time so didn't bother. Toilets: there was no problem getting to the toilets at any time, even during the half-time interval. There was no queuing at all.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game

The only reason I can imagine that Wigan refuses to sell tickets for all the seats in the away end, is that it took over 5 minutes to empty after the game had ended (or it would have taken me at least that long if I hadn't done a hop, step and a jump over the rows of seats to make my exit). But it takes no longer than 5 minutes to totally empty the Gelderd End at Elland Road; so I don't see why this might be an issue at the DW. It was then a quick walk back to the car and was on the M6 after about 10 minutes and was back home by 8pm

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out A great day out:

I will do it again next season, if Wigan are in the Championship again next season!

1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):

It was probably going to be my last away day of the season so that was the main reason for my excitement. I'd never been to Wigan before so was looking forward to seeing another new ground, as well as seeing the 4,000 or so Leeds fans making a racket.

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

I got the train from Leeds to Manchester Piccadilly and then from there to Wigan Wallgate. From the station, it took about a 20 minute walk to get to the ground, which is fairly easy to find thanks to signposts.

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

I'd heard that one of Wigan's specialties was a "Pie Butty" so I was keen to try it, however I was disappointed to find out the chippy right next to the away end was closed for some unknown reason. The Leeds fans were given a bar underneath the away end called "The Marquee" to drink in before the game. It was very posh inside and had tele's and the such. To be honest on the walk to and around the ground there seemed to be more Leeds fans than home one's, but those we came across just minded their own business.

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?

I'd seen the ground on tele before so knew what to expect, and wasn't too surprised when I got there. A plain looking stadium, which has four separate stands all the same height and empty corners which lets the atmosphere escape in my opinion. The away end was standard really, the concourse really should be made bigger as at half time even the stewards couldn't move in it.

Leeds lost the game 1-0, but in a dull run of form it was one of the better performances we've shown. The atmosphere was poor in the home end, excluding one block next to the Leeds fans who had a drum. Stewards were as friendly as can be expected.

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

The Leeds fans weren't kept behind, so the walk back to the station was quite crowded, but nothing out of the ordinary. The train back was the funnest part of the day, after discovering Cellino's takeover had gone through, Leeds fans were in good spirits and once we returned to Manchester for the next train, we took the opportunity to tell the station what we thought of the Red side of the city.

7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

A good day out, but strikes me as one of the away days that suits teams with large followings, if there had only be 300 or so away fans, then it wouldn't be much fun.

1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):

We were in a decent run of form and so going to a side like Wigan (no disrespect)then we were confident of victory. It is fairly local and normally there is a great game in a local(ish!) derby.

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

It was an easy drive down the M56 then the M6 in my brother's car. No traffic and no normal airport traffic with the volcanic ash cloud. There was plenty of side street parking and there was many car parks near the ground as we discovered. From the side street we parked in, it was a quick 10 minute walk to the ground.

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

Below the North stand (were away fans are seated), there is a bar popular with away fans named the Marquee. There were reasonable prices, plenty of space for seating and standing. There was only one chippy nearby that we noticed, on the corner of Ormskirk Road but it was very busy so we decided not to wait. Outside, the home fans seemed very friendly and helpful.

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?

The ground looks very impressive from the 3 sides we saw from the outside (North, Springfield and South) and was well set out to make it easy to get to our part of the ground. It seemed nicely set up with a directors area and a large club shop. Inside, the ground offers great views (we were located in the higher part of the stand) of the far goal but not the near goal which was annoying because we could not see Tim's (Cahill) goal. Talking to fans after the game, they said they were in the lower part of the stand and could see the whole ground and pitch clearly so I would suggest going for the lower part of the stand if possible.

The game was wide open, chances for both teams but when Tim Cahill's winner came with 9 minutes left, it was welcome and just about deserved. We got a scare in the last minute though Charles N'Zogbia's rocket shot hit the bar after a great fingertip save by Tim Howard. The atmosphere from the home fans was poor, with most of the singing coming from the away section. The stewards were helpful, the pies over priced and the toilets seemed very cramped at our end and embarrassingly with very few sinks - hygiene!

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

We decided to stay for a while to get some photographs of the players celebrating and it was wise as this allowed the traffic to die. We dig get some verbal abuse on the walk back to the car, but we just ignored them. It was an easy drive back, no traffic and a great win which arguably peaked a great run of form (beating Chelsea and Manchester United within a week).

7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

A great day out but try and go for a low seat if possible as the views are far better. Just about a deserved win and a great atmosphere made by our fans.

1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):

I was looking forward to this game, predominantly because Wigan are our local rivals and fixtures between the two clubs have recently been 'hotting up'.

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

We got off the train at Wigan Wallgate and followed the rest of the Bolton fans. We took a short cut alongside a canal and we found the ground easily. The walk was around 20 minute so it was fairly short.

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

There was a chippy near the stadium, however the queue was huge so we didn't go in, we just went straight onto the ground. The police obviously wanted us in the away end quickly because they were hassling us about not getting into trouble, which was a bit annoying, but it's what you expect on a local derby.

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?

The ground it's self is not too impressive, but by Championship standards it's good. Nothing to write home about really. The away end is just one tier but it's quite high up and I sat right near the back. I prefer the single tier stands because it feels like you're all together in a huge group.

We lost the game 3-2. First half performance was shocking so we deserved it really. The Bolton fans were in full voice (until Wigan's second) and there was a corner on the left hand side of the away end where some Wigan fans congregated and sang, the rest were quiet, there was plenty of banter between us and that corner though. However there were some missiles thrown and lots of smoke bombs let off in both stands and a few fans from both teams were ejected which made the atmosphere quite hostile.

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

We got a police escort from the ground to the station and because trains between Bolton and Wigan are normally comprised of two carriages we had to wait for a bit whilst they added some more carriages to the train, as there was about 1,500 bolton fans waiting. I encountered no problems but I did hear a lot of police sirens so I guess there was some post-match hostilities somewhere in Wigan.

7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

In conclusion, it was a good day out but unfortunately it was not a good game.

1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):

I was looking forward to the game as it was a relatively cheap away. (For me, at least, aged 17!) Also Wigan had just been relegated from the premier league, so I thought that I would go along to the DW to cheer on the Boro, one of the other reasons i went was because the tickets were very reasonably priced. £5 for under 16's, £10 For 16-18's, full time students and over 65's. Adults were £15.

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

As I got the club bus there, I didn’t have to worry about finding parking, the ground was well signposted, the first sign being just before the turnoff for Wigan on the M62. The coach parked in a car park about a 500 yards walk from the ground, a quick walk. although the home fans recommend getting the bus from the stations as the ground is quite a way out of town.

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

As I do every away game, I buy a beanie hat or a cap from the club shop, it’s sort of my memento to say ‘I’ve been to that ground'. After that, i bought my programme from a seller, who turned out to be very chatty and jolly, which i thought was nice.

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?

The away end was situated in the North Stand. Providing a good view of the action behind the goal. Middlesbrough were attacking the south end in the 1st half. so in the second half, I had a brilliant view of Boro's second goal.

Overall, I thought that it was a thoroughly enjoyable game, end-to-end. It ended in a 2-2 draw, which was a fair result. The stewards were very friendly, they didn’t mind where you sat, it was a ‘sit anywhere’ policy; which was nice. In the first half I sat near the back, whereas for the second half, I got to the front row. The catering facilities were very good, with a pie costing around £2 reasonably priced too, although this is expected for a modern ground.

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

There was a large police presence in the away end, after the game, the fans were escorted by police back to the coaches. Smooth journey back to Teesside.

7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Very enjoyable day out, reasonably priced tickets and coach travel. Great away day.

1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):

It is always good to be going away with all the true fans, so was I was looking forward to another good away day. I was however unsure about the stadium and area and how it would accommodate for the vast number of Newcastle fans that would be attending.

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

The journey was fine. Motorway then dual carriageway all the way till you hit Wigan wheres its pretty straight forward and well sign posted to the DW Stadium. Parking is a little more difficult as they wouldn't let us park in the retail park next to the stadium so we parked on a side road instead. Somehow we missed the away fans car park at the stadium itself.

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

Good pub next to the ground where the fans mingled and the Geordies filled out. Since the stadium is located next to a retail park, there are lots of eating places including a chippy, so plenty of opportunities for food. Home fans were no trouble.

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?

It is a modern ground, so lacked character, especially when you compare it to older ones in the League. Decent looking though once you get to your seat. However half time was a bit of a nightmare when going to the toilet. The concourse area under the stand was packed with people and there was a danger that some people could get crushed. Luckily no one was hurt, but a number of fans complained to the stewards about this, saying its dangerous.

Shocking game, Ref was terrible, Enough said there. There was a lack of atmosphere from the home supporters except a small section of home fans who had an annoying drum, however the Newcastle fans created a great atmosphere. Stewards were not too bad, there was the odd cocky one as always. Pies were decent and the prices were okay. Toilets locations were a joke as explained above at half time.

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Was easy to get as everyone had the same objective of leaving the ground.

7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Decent away day, terrible game, average atmosphere, large police numbers outside checking every away fan. Possibility of being dangerous underneath the stands. Would return, but only to see NUFC and not the ground again.

1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):

Sunderland always take a good away crowd to most places so I was looking forward to a good day out with a good atmosphere. Wigan is also our second closest away day after Newcastle so this could almost technically be seen as a derby clash! I have been to the DW once before in 2007 (3-0 defeat) and was looking forward to seeing us win there having been on a decent run in the league. Lancashire away days are always days I look forward to.

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

The weather conditions weren't great with heavy snow in the North East during the week, we went down by mini bus and got to Wigan at 1pm. Had a pint in a local pub 10 minutes from the DW then back onto the minibus where we accidentally parked at a fire station! We were obviously moved on but ended up parking the bus next to the chippy behind the away end!

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

Had a few pints 10 minutes from the DW, can't remember the places name but was friendly and welcoming. Didn't really interact with many home fans with us getting to the ground at 2.50pm. With something that happens at most away grounds, the home fans closest to the away end tend to make suggestive gestures in the direction of the visiting supporters. Wigan was no differente but I'd never take this as a reflection on all the fans!

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?

On my previous visit I wasn't that impressed with the DW, this visit done nothing to change my mind. It's a decent looking stadium, your bog standard new ground with four sides surrounded by a soulless retail park with no pubs. The concourses are very cramped and unorganised, especially with 5,000 away fans there, in this day and age I really don't think you should have to push and force yourself to get to where you want to be. One other slight grievance I had was the match ticket had the wrong access gate printed on it.

Game was good, Sunderland were 3-1 up at half time. We made difficult work of it in the second half but scraped the 3-2 win. Atmosphere from the away end was superb, didn't have any interaction with the stewards other than asking for directions to my seat, they didn't seem to be bothered we were standing the whole game. I'd read a lot about the Wigan pies beforehand, reviews saying they were some of the best in the country but I have to admit I was disappointed. The Pooles steak pie was pretty tasteless. The queues on the concourse were huge, service was slow and it took me nearly the whole of half time to get served. The kiosk wasn't very well placed from the area of the ground I was sitting in.

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

After some misinformation on where our bus was now, we eventually got to it. We left when the crowd around us cleared but still took us 10 minutes or so to get out of the DW area.

7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

The DW has it's issues but that's unlikely to change. Wigan away is a good day out like most Lancashire away days, Wigan are a credit to the Premier and they would be missed if they were relegated.

1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):

This was to be my first away game, so I was very excited about it. Wigan is one of the shorter distances from Sunderland so it was not such a long journey. I knew that I was going to enjoy it and had been looking forward to it all week. I know Sunderland take big followings everywhere and after hearing that we sold out 5000 tickets within days of going on sale i knew it would be a great atmosphere well at least in the away stand!

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

I left a very snowy north east at 9am on a supporters coach arranged by the Love Supreme fanzine. It was a bit slow getting out of the north east but when we got past Scotch Corner we were soon flying and we made it to the DW two hours before kick off! The parking was easy a very big away car park. On the plus side with my coach being there first we parked near the exit so got away after the game in minutes unlike other coaches that quite a bit of time to get out.

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

When I got off the coach did not really know where to go and followed the crowd of Sunderland fans and ended up in the DW Sports Bar for a few drinks. After that we went in to the Marquee Bar by the away entrance, The Marquee Bar is actually part of the stadium and I thought that this was a great feature of the stadium. Did not really talk to or interact with any of the home fans except for a few choice words after the game when a few Wigan fans decided to throw snowballs at the coach!

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?

To be honest I thought the ground was going to be better as it is a modern stadium, and it was a very 'bog standard' ground with four separate stands. The only thing that stood out for me from the stadium was the Marquee, simply because not a lot of the other grounds have a place such as this for away fans only to go to.

Entrance To The Marquee Bar

The game was great, with Sunderland being 3-1 up at half time. It was a bit nervy in the second half with Wigan getting a goal back, but we managed to hold on for a 3-2 win. The atmosphere from the Sunderland fans was great, singing for the whole game. The Wigan fans who only sang when they scored and that was only from a small group who also possessed a very annoying drum. The stewards were very laid off and let us stand the game with out any problem. They searched my bag on the way in but that is what you expect.

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Very easy and quick as the coach parked at front of car park straight home no traffic.

7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Great day out recommend this to any football fan, great day out great atmosphere and a good laugh.

1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):

Well it it was to be my first away game and I had heard good things about the DW, so I thought I'd go. Also it was easy to get a ticket due to the large allocation and early kick-off time.

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?:

I travelled by train from Euston to Wigan North Western arriving about two hours before kick off. Thankfully I had directions, which was helpful as the stadium wasn't signposted from the station. It was about a 20 minute walk (in the rain) and through a retail park to get to the stadium. The walk was not the most aesthetically pleasing one as the road to the retail park appeared to be in the middle of an industrial estate.

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

I went straight to the ground to try and seek shelter from the rain. After purchasing a programme I went towards the Marquee in the North Stand. However the doors were shut and all the cover by the entrance was taken so I had to resort to wall hugging the stand wall to shelter under an outcrop. After asking a steward when it would open, he said "soon" which wasn't that helpful.

Eventually I enetered the Marquee, to find a nice civilised clubhouse style with separate bars for food and drink. In there I had a steak pie which cost £2.30, considering it's the cheapest pie in the Premier League it was very nice and very filling. Trying to buy a drink was slightly difficult due to the sheer number of people but the staff tried their best (especially since one guy ordered 6 pints of Guinniess!) I would advise using the toilets in the Marquee before the match rather than in the stadium as they were less busy.

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?:

At first I saw the West Stand, which looked quite impressive a bit similar to Brighton's new stadium from the outside. However it did start to go downhill a bit when I saw a faded Wigan Warriors Rugby League sign next to an apparently new Wigan Athletic sign. The North stand was a bit flat and boring from the outside. They still use the old turnstiles which is quite nice. I had a seat under one of the disabled sections (which no-one was in) which was one block away from the end. It was good for one side as you had unrestricted views due to the steepness of the seating but you had to lean forward to see the other side when the match was underway as people stand (which I fully support).

A word of advice, though the North Stand has a roof, it's too high and at the wrong angle to be effective against the rain so you will probably either get wet or find a wet seat awaiting you if it's been raining

The game was quite drab with Arsenal winning 1-0 from a penalty. The atmosphere was great from the Arsenal fans singing all game and the Wigan fans actually tried to have a go at helping create an atmosphere with a drummer in the East Stand near us, however once Arsenal scored they went quite quiet. They did have quite an amusing thing where the Wigan fans had an angry reaction for no apparent reason until the ref blew for a free kick about 30 seconds later. O

ne point I will say though with no-one behind you and a large gap between the fans sitting higher up, I did feel a bit isolated however we still sang all game. The stewards were not needed and seen but not heard. Fair play to them for allowing some Arsenal fans to hang a tribute banner in the closed disabled section.

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

I didn't experience any hassle when leaving and heading for the station in colours. It was easy as you just retrace your steps and follow the crowds.

7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Cheap tickets and a large away following with a great atmosphere made it very enjoyable. The game wasn't the best but the result is all that matters.

1. Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be):

I always look forward to a good Stoke City awayday that promises a great day out with family, friends and the possibility of a rare away win for us. Wigan had only won one game at home this season, so we were all unusually confident of getting a good result. The cheap price of £20 for a ticket ensured that a large amount of Stokies travelled North for this fixture. The fact that Stoke are all but guaranteed another season in the Premier League and have little to play for helped create a fantastic party atmosphere.

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

We travelled to Wigan from Manchester, so the journey only took about 25 minutes at the small price of £3.90 return. When we arrived at Wigan station, we followed the directions on this Football Ground Guide website and briskly walked to the ground in about 15 minutes.

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

Before the game we met up with up with some friends at the Red Robin pub that's mentioned on this site. Within about half an hour the pub was packed and there was a great party atmosphere with plenty of chanting. The staff were excellent and coped very well with the large crowds. There were a few Wigan fans wearing colours that received a bit of grief, which might be expected if you go drinking in the pub assigned to away fans. However, I didn't see any trouble.

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?

My first impressions were that the ground is fairly modern looking from the outside and is situated in a great area. Families are well catered for with a Pizza Hut, Frankie & Benny's, Red Robin pub and a cinema right next to the ground. The inside of the ground is neat and tidy, but extremely plain and lacking in character.

The atmosphere inside the ground was just awful and the worst home atmosphere I have ever experienced. Wigan rarely sell out their ground and as usual there were thousands of empty seats in the home stands. The only home fans that made any real noise were a small pocket of a few hundred fans to the left of the away end, but they were drowned out by the Stoke fans who were in good voice all game. I can understand why Wigan have been so poor at home throughout this season, because I can imagine every game must feel like an away match. Luckily for Wigan, Stoke decided to put in their worst performance of the season by some distance and gifted the Lactics only their second home win!

The match itself was very poor and the only incidents of note in the first half were the Wigan forwards missing several sitters. Stoke were extremely lucky to get to half time with the score still at 0-0. During the second half we were even worse than the first, gifting Wigan the lead with some shoddy defending from a cross, allowing Antonio Alacaraz an unmissable header. The rest of match was utter dross football and Wigan put the result in little doubt when the impressive Victor Moses robbed the ball off the woeful Andy Wilkinson, rounded the 'keeper and slotted into an empty net to give Wigan a 2-0 win.

The facilities on the concourse weren't very good and couldn't cope with the large away following - the bar staff were very slow and the toilets just weren't big enough. The match stewards were some of the worst I have ever encountered, many Stoke fans in front of us were moved from the rows behind the goal and given no reason as to why. Several fans who demanded a explanation had their tickets taken off them and were manhandled from the ground despite having done nothing to warrant such treatment. This could have caused a massive amount of trouble and was extremely irresponsible stewarding.

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

We left the ground and followed the crowds back to the train station. We somehow managed to squeeze onto a train full of Stoke fans and were back to Manchester in no time at all.

7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Despite the poor performance we still had a great day out. We rarely expect a Stoke away win, but meeting up with other fans, making a bit of noise and having a few drinks always make up for our typically poor away performances. If Wigan stay up, then we'll be back next season - hopefully our team decide to turn up too!

After a couple of years of being nagged I had decided this would be an ideal match for my son Connor's first City away game. Our recent away form hadn't been too hot so we were expecting a response from the team.

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

We arrived by train and the directions on this website meant it was easy and using them meant we had zero problems finding the stadium.

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

We called at a chippy situated the two railway stations. The food was both reasonable in cost and taste. Walking down to the ground a couple of Wigan fans asked what we thought would happen at the game all pleasant enough, though I suspect Connor being with me might have played a part in it.

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?

The DW Stadium does look good from the outside all lit up. Hats off to the stewards. It wasn't the warmest night and they directed us into the Marquee where I had a quick pint. It was a brilliant facility and only if other clubs did the same for away fans... Once inside the stadium despite being on Row BB in the corner of the the stand it was impressive with comfortable leg room. All the stands looked decent enough.

Game time and despite a sluggish first few minutes City grabbed hold of the game and took a deserved lead. The atmosphere was great we really didn't stop singing for most of the game. As I was on the opposite side from where the Wigan singers were it was hard to hear them though we did hear the drummer a few times. Just before half time I sent Connor to get himself a pie and drink when he got back just before the half time whistle I decided to go down to the concourse myself. But I felt almost squashed the minute I got onto the concourse, as it is simply too small to cope with a large group of fans. I abandoned getting myself a drink and returned to my seat where Connor let me help him eat a delicious Meat and Potato pie.

2nd half was pretty much same as the first but for Wigan keeper, Al Habsi it could have been more comfortable in the end we did run out of steam but 1-0 was a good result moving us clear at the top again.

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

It took a few minutes to get out of our row down the steps but from then on it was plain sailing out of the ground and the walk back to the station.

7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

As I suspected an easy first away game for Connor. Couldn't fault the stewards sending us to the Marquee was really helpful helped warm us up on what was a cold night. The DW is a nice ground but the concourse is simply too small. That said I'd go again though I do feel Wigan need to look at their junior prices £28 was fair enough for an adult but £20 for a child baffles me a little. Really enjoyed the game and the programme aint too bad either!

Why you were looking forward to going to the ground (or not as the case may be)?

Having previously been to the DW I had found it an easy ground to get both in and out of by car (not rail) and also easy to acquire a ticket in the away end due to the large 4,400 allocation given to visiting supporters.

How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

Having travelled by train we arrived at Wigan North Western station around 3 hours before kick-off. Be warned: directions to the ground aren’t signposted and it is a good 15-20 minute walk, so make sure you have the diections handy from this website, or by using Google Maps.

What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

We ate in one of the numerous fast food outlets on the surrounding retail park and although busy, service was fast and they could cope with the crowds. The home fans were fine and we could comfortably walk around in our Red and White arsenal colours and Wigan is definitely one of the least intimidating away games there is.

We also had a few pints in the designated away fans pub the ‘Red Robin’ which is two minutes walk away from the visitors turnstiles, but the drinks were pricey and the pub had no Sky tv to show the early kick-off. However, beside the away end is the entrance to a marquee/hospitality suite which is free entry to away fans and has Sky tv/drinks/food etc..

What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?

The concourse is accessed by a few flights of stairs and is surprisingly narrow considering the number of fans it accommodates for. Again, this has all you expect including screens showing latest scores etc. Inside it was a fantastic view mainly due to the steepness of the stand which means you are right on top of the action even at the back. However, the rest of the stadium looks bland and due to the home fans not selling out, plenty of empty seats on show.

Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, toilets etc..

Arsenal strolled out comfortable 4-0 winners creating a fantastic atmosphere amongst us away fans. However, the home supporters were fairly silent throughout and the empty seats detracted from the already limited atmosphere. The stewards were fine and no problems were encountered.

Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

Upon exiting the stadium the away fans looking to travel back to the rail station were directed to the right and followed a partially-signposted route through an industrial estate which had minimal lighting in the darkness However the mass of fans meant it was impossible to get lost although this may be a concern of fans with smaller followings. This route came out directly by the rail station.

Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Overall, cheap tickets at £25 and a big away following means it feels as though your side is literally taking over the town and stadium. The views of the action are brilliant and unrestricted but the atmosphere from the home fans can be lacking and make for an unmemorable away day added to the awkward journey to and from the rail station.

After years of travelling up and down the nation to follow the hammers, I'd become a fanatic. New football grounds had become an addiction for me and the DW was high on list to go to. The game held special significance for my club - we had to win. If we didn't we were relegated.

2. How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?

The club ran a free coach service for the game, so I was driven from Upton Park to The DW. Ordinarily, I am a train goer and my friends have told me that the ground is easy to get to from the station. Coaches park in a car park one minute from the ground. The journey from London was relatively traffic free.

3. What you did before the game pub/chippy.... home fans friendly?

Hot Dog stands are situated around the ground and to my surprise, at very cheap prices. A large hot dog was £2 from the vendor outside the away end. Being younger than drinking age means I didn't purchase alcohol from the sports lounge/bar by the car park. I did go inside to use the facilities however. The pub seemed to allow both sets of fans inside.

4. What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the ground?

The view from outside the ground is similar to most modern grounds in all honesty. Simple, relatively clean & generally dull. Once inside the atmosphere was great. It was like a carnival, with people throwing inflatable beach balls around. Once I left the underside of the stand and took my seats, one can see how small the ground is. It is 1 tier all the way round and the stand to ones left is slightly restricted with an advert on the seats separating fans (when the stands aren't joined).

The result was harsh on the hammers, but summed up the season perfectly. Our inability to keep a lead was evident on that day. We were 2-0 up in the first half with 2 goals from Demba Ba. This with the news that Fulham were winning too sent the stand into pandemonium.... temporarily.

Wigan's introduction of Connor Sammon was great one. He scored a tap in, and Charles N'Zogbia scored a free-kick which was destined to fly in. In the 90th minute, Robert Green had a calamitous moment and Wigan had winner. We were relegated. The final whistle blew, and the Wigan fans invaded the pitch taunting us hammers (who had many stewards and police in the stand and on the edge of the pitch to prevent anything escalating), which was a bit annoying considering that Wigan weren't still safe from relegation themselves.

The facilities are basic. The toilets are small, and there isn't a great deal of space in the concourse. The atmosphere was the best I have ever seen (from West Ham), due to the occasion more than the hospitality. Wigan's fans were non-existent until the final whistle had blown.

6. Comment on getting away from the ground after the game:

It was slow getting out of the ground itself, but once out of the stadium, one was free to get on the coach which had a police escort to motorway. We were gone very quickly. The only positive of the day in hindsight

7. Summary of overall thoughts of the day out:

Horrific. That was down to the football more than the hospitality in all honesty. The ground was mediocre to be polite. The concourse is far too small. The programme was decent. The prices of the tickets weren't a rip off, that said, they weren't cheap either. I'd go there again, no doubt. The steward outside the ground are friendly too!